Software applications must be transformed from source code into machine instructions in order for the application to execute. This transformation process is called “compiling”. During compilation, the source code is first turned into a language-agnostic and machine-agnostic set of instructions, sometimes referred to as “intermediate code”. The intermediate code is then turned into machine instructions specific to the particular computer platform on which the particular application will run. Compilation typically occurs on a single computer, and when completed, the intermediate code generated by the compilation process is discarded. Thus, any useful information that could be obtained from this intermediate code later in the development process is lost.
In many cases, software applications are developed in team-based environments. These teams are comprised of team members playing several roles that support the overall project goals. Each team member typically runs the software development application on their own local computer. When a particular team member compiles the program, runs a code analyzer to analyze performance, performs debugging, or other various development-related tasks, the resulting details from these processes are typically stored on that team member's local computer. While that team member may submit the source code to a source code control server that the entire team can access, the various system generated artifacts resulting from the development process that led up to the version being checked in to the server are typically either lost or are not easily distributable. This means that other team members do not get whatever benefit may be gained by accessing those results. For example, as a developer team member is working on a given application, the developer may use a code profiler to analyze the performance of the application. In doing so, the developer gains specific knowledge about the applications performance. The artifacts and knowledge gained by creating the artifacts from profiling the applications are local to the developer and are not easily shared.
Furthermore, in the course of executing their assigned roles, team members often create other artifacts related to the project in addition to the source code itself, such as models, diagrams, work items, etc. Just like with the system generated artifacts, in many cases, these user-created artifacts are also stored on a particular team member's computer only, are lost, or are not easily distributable to the other team members. Thus, large amounts of valuable development data and artifacts related to a particular software development project being developed in a team environment are either dispersed across various team member computers and thus inaccessible by the entire team, or they are lost forever.